Rotary coupler arrangement



July 4, 1961 F. c. KULIEKE ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 31, 1954 INVENTOR. fi m-4% 6 ffizfl'efe y 1961 F. c. KULIEKE 2,990,963

ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT FiledDec. 31, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. flaw M gflzw wwno July 4, 1961 F. c. KULIEKE 2,990,963

ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Filed Dec. 51, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

July 4, 1961 F. c KULIEKE ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 31, 1954 5. kgjja INVENTOR. 9 fina ad EJKE/w/Q United States Patent 2,990,963 ROTARY COUPLER ARRANGEMENT Frederick C. Kulieke, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 31, 1954, Ser. No. 478,979 19 Claims. (Cl. 213-62) The invention relates to a coupler arrangement and more particularly to a coupler which permits relative rotation of connected cars whereby the contents of the rotated car may be easily and efficiently dumped.

Recent developments in the large scale mining of iron ore have required speedy unloading of long trains of standard gauge railway ore cars of up to 95 ton capacity. Heretofore rotary dumping was generally utilized only in mining operations wherein small or narrow gauge mining cars of around 7 to 10 ton capacity were employed. The development of the application of rotary dumping to standard size railway rolling stock has presented many problems from the coupler standpoint. It has heretofore been the practice, when employing standard rolling stock, to uncouple and dump one or more cars at a time from a train of coupled cars. An additional problem is that the rolling stock employed must utilize a coupler which will operate satisfactorily with the standard type couplers employed on all rolling stock, so that special attachment means are not required in coupling one or several dumping cars to a conventional train.

It is a main object of this invention to provide a coupler and attachment arrangement which will operate satisfactorily with the heretofore employed standard coupler arrangement and meet the new and additional requirements of a dumping car in a simple and efficient manner.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide an AAR Alternate standard coupler with a draft gear arrangement providing efiicient rotating to accommodate car dumping.

It is an additional specific object of the invention to provide an arrangement having novel structure accommodating easy assembly and a safe operating structure without the use of separate pin supports and retaining devices.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description and from an examination of the concerned drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an assembled plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, said view being partially sectional to more clearly set forth the details of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 1, the view being partially sectional to clearly illustrate the structural features of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a detail plan view, partly in section, of the yoke employed in the invention;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the structure shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of the structure shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a top view, partially in section of the striker casting employed in the invention;

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a top view, partly in section, of the rotary collar employed in the invention;

Patented July 4, 1961 FIGURE 11 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the structure shown in FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a front view, partly in section, of the structure shown in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a sectional view, similar to FIGURE 4, illustrating the method of assembly of the unit;

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13 of the assembled unit in neutral position;

FIGURES 15 through 18, inclusive, are sectional views similar to FIGURE 14, illustrating the arrangement during coupler rotation.

Describing the invention in detail, the arrangement comprises a sill, indicated generally at 2, said sill having a top wall 4 and perpendicularly depending side walls 6 and 8. The sill is secured to the body of the railway car (not shown) in the usual manner as is well understood by those skilled in the art. A striker casting, indicated generally at 10, is disposed in the forward end of the sill and rigidly secured thereto. The casting 10 presents a forwardly facing opening 12, being defined by the top member 14 and depending side flanges -16, 16 of the casting 10. At the lower edge of the opening 12, the casting 10 presents a transversely extending pocket 18, said pocket receiving a plurality of springs 20 which flexibly support a carrier 22.

The operating coupler arrangement comprises an alternate standard coupler head 24 having a shank 26 extending rearwardly therefrom and through the opening 12 of the carrier 10. A yoke, indicated generally at 28, is disposed within the sill 2, and has its forward extremity 30 extending into the rear portion of the striker casting 10.

Directing attention to FIGURES 5 through 7, it will be seen that the yoke comprises vertically spaced horizontal straps 3'2, 32 interconnected at the rear ends there of by a vertical wall or abutment 34. Forwardly, the straps 32 are interconnected by generally cylindrical walls 36, 36. The walls 36 present an opening 38 which receives the rear extremity of the coupler shank 26, as hereinafter more fully described. Immediately rearwardly of the opening 38 the yoke 28 is provided with the cylindrical section 40, said cylindrical section 40 being partially defined by the walls 36, the arc of the cylinder being formed rearwardly as at 42 within the body of the straps 32, 32.

Directing attention again to FIGURES 1 through 4, it will be seen that a conventional resilient draft arrangement, shown figuratively at 44, may be positioned within the center sill 2 and abut the stops 46, 46 at its rear extremity. Forwardly the draft arrangement 44 engages the rearside of the front follower 47, said front follower abutting on opposite sides of the sill 2, the front stop lugs 48, 48. The resilient arrangement 44 is additionally positioned within the confines of the straps 32 of the yoke 28, as seen in the side elevational view.

A rotary collar 50 is positioned within the cylindrical section 40, defined by yoke 28 and at the forward end of the yoke. The rotary collar comprises arcuate surfaces 52, 52 arranged to be rotatably received within the cylindrical section 40 of the yoke 28. The collar additionally comprises aligned apertures 54 and 56, the lower aperture 56 having cylindrical stop or support ledge 58 extending around the aperture at the lower end thereof.

As heretofore noted the coupler shank 26 extends into the striker casting 10 and is additionally arranged to extend through the forward opening 38 of the yoke 28 and into an opening '60 of the rotary collar 50. The rear extremity of the shank 26 is spherically formed as at 62 and engages a spherical surface 64 formed in the front facev of the front follower 47. Adjacent the rear extremity of the shank 26, a pivot hole or aperture 66 is formed therein, said aperture tapering upwardly and downwardly at its front wall to accommodate vertical angling of the coupler 24.

A pin bearing block 70 is positioned in the rear extremity of the aperture 66 and complementally and spherically engages the rear surface 72 of the aperture 66. A pin 74 is positioned in the apertures 54 and 56 of the rotary collar 50, and is also disposed to extend through the aperture 66 of the shank 26. The front face of the bearing block 70 is arcuately formed as at 78 to complementally engage a section of the periphery of the pin 74 whereby a relatively slack free connection between the shank 26 and the rotary collar 50 is provided. It will be noted that in the arrangement just described the'rear extremity of the shank 26 abuts the front follower 47 and that clearance is provided between the collar 50 and the front face of the follower 47. It will additionally be noted that the rotary collar 50 is provided with a peripheral forwardly facing abutment 80, which is engageable with abutments 82 formed on the forward section of the yoke 28.

Directing attention to FIGURE 3, it will be seen that shank 26 is provided with a flat 86 on the lower side thereof which complementally engages the top flat face 88 of the carrier 22. This flat face engagement between the carrier 22 and the shank 26 aids in maintaining the shank in the upright position illustrated whereby the coupler is located to conventionally couple with an adjacent car. It will also be noted that the coupler shank 26 is provided with arcuate surfaces at 90 and 90 which aid in the relative rotation of the shank once the initial resistance to rotation offered by the flat 86 is overcome.

With the coupler shank 26 and the assembly draft gear in proper position in the sill 2, a retainer plate 92 may be added, said retainer plate being riveted to the sill 2 whereby the yoke 28 is maintained in operative position within the sill 2. Additionally the striker casting 10 may be provided with horizontally aligned slots 94 on opposite sides thereof, said slots being operative to receive a movable retaining plate 96, said retaining plate supporting the front portion 30 of the yoke 28 within the striker casting 10. position in striker casting 10 by means of stops 98, 98 which are riveted to the center sill 2. It will be noted that the yoke 28 is provided with parallel flats 100, 100 and 102, 102 on opposite sides thereof, said flats 100 and 102 being disposed adjacent flats 104, 104 and 106, 106 formed in striker casting 10; engagement between the flats 100 and 104 and the flats 102 and 106 prevents the yoke 28 from rotating during the action hereinafter described. The particular juxtaposition of the flats 100 and '104, and 102 and 106 also serves as a guide for movement of the yoke 28 longitudinally of the assembly during application of both buff and draft forces under coupler action.

Directing attention particularly to FIGURES through 9, it will be seen that the yoke 28 is provided with a semi-cylindrical aperture 110 at one side thereof. Additionally, the striker casting is provided with a similar enlarged aperture 112 on one of its sides. Furthermore, the center sill 2 also is provided with an enlarged aperture 114 on one of its sides, as is best seen in FIG- URE 13. In assembled relation the aperture 114 of the center sill 2, the aperture 112 of the striker casting 10 and the enlarged semi-cylindrical aperture 110 of the yoke 28 are in aligned relationship. It is this particular relationship of the several mentioned apertures that provides for easy assembly of the entire unit.

The collar 50 is provided with flats at 116, 116 on opposite sides thereof. By positioning the collar with the flats facing vertically, that is, parallel to the straps 32 of the yoke 28, the collar may be inserted between the straps and brought into position in the cylindrical aperture 40, defined by the yoke.

The plate 96 is maintained in proper At this point the collar 50 may be rotated to normal position within the yoke. The draft unit 44 and front follower 47 may then be assembled to the yoke 28. The yoke and assembled parts may then be inserted in the center sill 2 when the strap 92 is secured in position. The coupler 24 is then positioned with its shank disposed within the striker casting 10 and collar 50, whereupon the coupler and collar may be rotated degrees to the left as seen in FIGURE 13, whereby the apertures 54 and 56 of the collar 50 and the aperture 66 of the shank 26 become aligned with the openings 110, 112 and 114 of the yoke, striker casting and sill, respectively. The pin 74 may then readily be inserted to make the connection between the collar 50 and the shank 26 of the coupler 24. After pin assembly the coupler collar may be rotated to the neutral position illustrated in FIGURE 14 whereby the assembly operation is virtually completed. The support plate 96 is then inserted in the slots 94 of the striker casting 10 and the stop lugs 98 are secured in position. Thus it Will be seen that the novel design provides for ready assembly of the entire rotating coupler arrangement.

It will also be noted that the yoke, striker casting, and sill, respectively, are provided with slot 111, and holes 113 and on the sides thereof opposite the openings 110, 112 and 114. The slot 111, and holes 113 and 115 are smaller than the first mentioned openings and will not permit passage of the pin. However, the slot 111, and holes 113 and 115 do permit the entry of a bar which may engage the adjacent end of the pin, when the arrangement is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 13, thus facilitating the removal of the pin, the bar acting as a pin driving tool.

In operation of the coupler arrangement it is thought readily apparent that buffing forces exerted on coupler 24 are distributed through the shank 26 and directly to the front follower 47 through the shank engagement with the front follower at 62-64. The buifing forces are then absorbed by spring unit 44 located in sill 2. It will be noted that arcuate cut-outs 42 in upper and lower straps 32 of the yoke 28 are arranged to accommodate extended rearward movement of the collar 50. Pulling forces exerted on coupler 24 are distributed through the shank 26 and from thence through the pin 74 to the collar 50, the collar distributing the forces to the yoke 28 through engagement therewith at the surface 80. This engagement urges the yoke 28 to move forwardly whereby the spring arrangement 44 absorbs the forces. The front follower 47 is restricted from forward movement by engaging the front stop lugs 48.

Considering the rotary operation of the arrangement, it must be kept in mind that each dumping car will have a rotary coupler on one end and a standard coupler on its other end and that the conventional practice is that the car to be dumped will be rotated degrees to inverted position and after the dumping operation is completed will be returned through the same are to its upright position. Considering this circumstance, FIGURE 14 illustrates a rotary coupler when the coupler is in neutral position. When the particular car to which the rotary coupler is attached is moved into dumping position the rotary coupler assembly will be attached to a non-rotating coupler on the car immediately adjacent. When the car to which the rotary coupler assembly is attached is dumped, it will be the car and connected center sill and striker casting that will rotate, and not the coupler itself.

From the position of the coupler unit shown in FIG- URE 14 the car is rotated clockwise as seen in FIGURE 15. FIGURE '15 illustrates the relative position of the coupling assembly after the car has been rotated 90 degrees in the clockwise direction. In this position the slots or apertures 114, 112 and 110 will be vertically aligned above the pin 74. It should be particularly noted however that pin 74 will be retained in assembled relation in the collar and shank by the force of gravity when the entire assembly is at this position. FIGURE 16 illustrates the particular arrangement of the coupler parts when the car has been rotated a complete 180 degrees, the maximum for the dumping operation.

Again in this position the pin 74 is vertical and maintained in proper relation within the collar and coupler shank by the ledge 58. As earlier noted the direction of rotation of the car is then reversed and it is returned in a counterclockwise manner to upright position, the coupler parts passing through the position shown in FIGURES 15 and 14. The foregoing explains how the rotary coupler at leading end of the dumped car allowed rotation of striker, sill, yoke, and car while the leading adjacent car held the couplers against rotation. Now' considering the coupler at the rear of the same car being dumped there is a conventional coupler attachment where coupler does not rotate in the car, but rotates with the car. Thus the rotation of this coupler with the car causes the mated coupler of the trailing adjacent car to rotate in the striker, yoke, and sill of this trailing car as. follows: This action is illustrated by FIGURES 17 and 18. In this instance the coupler shank and attached collar are rotated Within the cylindrical opening provided in the yoke 28; FIGURE 17 illustrates the position of the coupler parts in the second or trailing car when the car in dumper has been rotated 90 degrees. It should be noted that the end pin abutting the stop ledge 58 is now aligned with the apertures 114, 112 and 110 and it is impossible for the pin to escape through these apertures to prevent further rotation of the coupler arrangement. FIGURE 18 illustrates the arrangement of the coupler parts when the coupler in the second car is rotated a complete 180 degrees. In this instance the pin 74 is free to fall downwardly until it contacts the peripheral surface of the cylindrical opening formed in the yoke 28. Again it is impossible for the pin to disassemble from the shank and collar because of its engagement with the coupler yoke. The car in the dumper is then rotated to a neutral or upright position when the coupler and collar rotate in the coupled adjacent trailing car go through the position illustrated in FIGURES 18 and 17 to upright position shown in FIGURE 14.

Thus it will be seenthat the assembly disclosed affords a simple and compact coupler arrangement utilizing standard interchangeable coupler parts readily adaptable to conventional railway rolling stock and still accommodating rotation or dumping of a I claim:

1. In a, rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker disposedin the sill and secured thereto; a coupler having a head and a shank, the shank being disposed to extend into the striker and sill; a draft gear, said gear having a yoke and a front follower; an end of the shank rotatably engaging the follower, a rotary collar rotatably positioned in the yoke; and means rotatably connecting the shank and the collar.

2. A rotary coupler arrangement according to claim particular car.

1, wherein said means consists of aligned apertures in collar and shank, and a connecting pin disposed within said apertures.

3. A rotary coupler arrangement according to claim 2, and including other aligned apertures in the striker and sill, said other apertures being alignable with the first mentioned apertures by rotation of said collar and shank from the neutral position, whereby easy assembly of the arrangement is provided.

4. A rotary coupler arrangement according to claim 3, and including engageable abutment means on the yoke and collar whereby certain of the forces transmitted to the coupler are carried to the yoke.

SQIn a rotary coupler arrangement, a rotatable draft i and rotational movement relative thereto, and means interconnecting the shank and, the collar, thereby accommodating relative rotation between the coupler and the draft gear.

6. A collar for use in a rotating coupler arrangement of the type described, .said collar comprising a hollow cylinder having arcuate surfaces on opposite sides thereof, said surfaces being constructed on equal common radii, flat surfaces interconnecting the arcuate surfaces on opposite sides of the collar, aligned apertures on opposite sides of the collar, one of said apertures having supporting ledges extending into the opening defined thereby.

7. In a rotatable interlocking type coupler, a shank, a generally cylindrically shaped collar associated with the shank at one end thereof, a pin interconnecting the shank and the collar, operative to prevent relative rotation therebetween, a draft gear, said gear comprising a yoke rotatably engaging said collar, spring means, a front follower engaging the spring means, and spherical surfaced engagement between the front follower and the end of the shank.

8. A coupler yoke for use on a rotary coupler arrangement of the type described, said yoke comprising spaced straps, a vertical wall interconnecting the straps at one end thereof, arcuate walls interconnecting the straps at the other end thereof, and defining a forwardly facing opening in the yoke, said straps and arcuate walls having a cylindrical bore of larger diameter than said opening to provide an abutment flange, arcuate surfaces formed in the straps and extending rearwardly of the arcuate walls and merging with said bore, and a slot formed in the rear edge of one of said arcuate walls.

9. In a rotary coupler arrangement, the combination of a car sill, a striker associated with the sill, a yoke having a head receiving a rotary collar, a front draft gear follower having a spherical shaped butt socket on the forward face thereof, a coupler having a shank, a spherically shaped end on the shank complementally engaging the butt socket, pin means interconnecting the collar and the shank, and means to permit the assembly of the pin means to the shank and the collar, said last mentioned means comprising aligned apertures in the sill, striker and yoke, arranged approximately degrees from the normal position of the coupler, whereby the coupler, the shank and the collar may be rotated to a position in alignment with the aligned apertures whereby the pin means may be readily assembled and disassembled from the collar and shank.

10. A rotary coupler arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the apertures in one side of the striker and yoke are larger than the apertures on the other side to permit entry of said pin means through the larger openings on said one side, while said other side retains the pin under certain conditions.

11. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted within the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end portion of said yoke being mounted for axial and nonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler having a shank provided with a collar secured thereon for axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said sill and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldablyresist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of coupler relative to said yoke and sill.

12. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker said secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted within the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end portion of said yoke being mounted for axial and nonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler halViIlg a shank provided with a collar secured thereon for axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally' engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said sill and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldably resist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke and sill, and means on said striker to engage and yieldably resist rotational movement of said coupler from its normal coupling position.

13. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted Within the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end portion of said yoke being mounted for axial and nonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler having a shank provided with a collar secured thereon for axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said sill and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldably resist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke and sill, said striker comprising spaced side walls depending from a top wall, said side walls having transversely aligned slots formed in their lower ends, a front retainer plate having its ends projecting through said slots to support said tubular end portion of the yoke.

14. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted within the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end portion of said yoke being mounted for axial and nonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler having a shank provided with a collar secured thereon for axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said sill and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldably resist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke and sill, said striker comprising spaced side walls depending from a top wall, said side walls having transversely aligned slots formed in their lower ends, a front retainer plate having its ends projecting through said slots to support said tubular end portion of the yoke, said sill comprising spaced side walls depending from a top wall, a rear retainer plate secured to the lower ends of the sill side walls to support the back end of said yoke.

15. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted within -the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end pori tion, of said-yoke beingmounted for axialandnonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler having a shank provided with a collar secured thereonpfor axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said sill and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldably resist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke and sill, said striker comprising spaced side walls depending from a top wall, said side walls having transversely aligned slots formed in their lower ends, a front retainer plate having its ends projecting through said slots to support said tubular end portion of the yoke, a pin pivotally connecting said shank to said collar.

16. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted within the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end portion of said yoke being mounted for axial and nonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler having a shank provided with a collar secured thereon for axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said sil-l and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldably resist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke and sill, said striker comprising spaced side walls depending from a top wall, said side walls having transversely aligned slots formed in their lower ends, a front retainer plate having its ends projecting through said slots to support said tubular end portion of the yoke, a pin pivotally connecting said shank to said collar, said sill, striker and yoke having aligned apertures for the passage of said pin during assembly and disassembly of the shank and collar.

17. In a rotary coupler arrangement, a sill, a striker secured within one end of the sill, a yoke mounted within the sill and having a tubular end portion provided with an inturned abutment flange, the tubular end portion of said yoke being mounted for axial and nonrotational movement within said striker, a coupler having a shank provided with a collar secured thereon for axial and rotational movement within said end portion and normally engaging said abutment flange, a compressible unit having a front end follower slidably mounted within said si-ll and normally in abutting engagement against the inner end of said shank and said striker, an abutment shoulder on said sill in abutting engagement against the back end of said compressible unit, a rear abutment wall on said yoke engaged by the back end of said compressible unit, said unit serving to yieldably resist forward movement of said yoke and rearward movement of said coupler relative to said yoke and sill, said striker comprising spaced side walls depending from a top wall, said side walls having transversely aligned slots formed in their lower ends, a front retainer plate having its ends projecting through said slots to support said tubular end portion of the yoke, a pin pivotally connecting said shank to said collar, said front follower having a spherical socket, said shank having a spherical end engaged in said socket.

18. In a rotary arrangement, a coupler having a shank, a draft gear comprising a yoke, a spring unit disposed I within said yoke and a front follower within the yoke 75.:

and engaging the front portion of the spring unit, said shank being rotatably received Within said draft gear and abutting the front face of said follower, and means interconnecting the draft gear and shank operative to accommodate relative rotation therebetween and resist relative movement therebetween longitudinally of the assembly.

19. In a railway draft rigging, spaced center sills, a yoke movable longitudinally between said sills, said yoke having a head portion, a piston-like member rotatable in said head portion about an axis extending longitudinally of said yoke, a coupler shank pivotally connected to said member, said shank and member being rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the coupler, and abutment means carried by said sills and engageable with said yoke for preventing rotation of the yoke upon rotation of the coupler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 721,059 Martin Feb. 17, 1903 2,235,618 Larsson Mar. 18, 1941 2,262,076 Wolfe Nov. 11, 1941 2,327,240 Barrows et al. Aug. 17, 1943 2,752,049 Kahler June 26. 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 23387 Great Britain Oct. 16. 1913 

